Starter for outboard motors



Jan. 20, 1931. V J N N 1,789,423

STARTER -,FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS v- Filed March 2. 192a -Wg flg fi/Q v wmmmM ATTORNEY Patented Jinan, 1931 i means JOSE'EH SCGTT BENSON, OF DAVENPORT, IGWA STARTER- FGR O'UlC'IBOARD MOTORS npplication filed March .2,

My invention has reference to a starter for an outboard motor, and hasfor its purpose to facilitate the ease and speed with which said devicesmay be put in operation. In the common two-cylinder types of suchmachines, each of which is provided with its own sparking system, whenit is undertaken to start the motor the electrical energy is so dividedbetween the two systems that neither one is 19 strong enough to producethe desired spark,

and cause ignition oi the charge in the cylinder. As a result thecrank-shaft has to be rotated a number of times before the engineresponds, and as the rotating of the shaft is accomplished by means of acord or cable,

wound on a disk orwheel on the crank-shaft,

and rawn forcefully outward, the task soon becomes an arduous anddistasteful one. At

each operation the cord has to be re-wound,

causing considerable delay between one operation and the next, andfrequently losing the advantage of the preceding stroke.

The chief purpose of the present invention is to provide a shaftrotating mechanism conraining stored power devices by means of whichthe-same can be instantly returned toits initial position, after beingactuated, and in which a number of starting operations can he made tofollow each other in quick succession. It is also coupled up with theusual fly-wheel of the motor, which assists in the continuity ofmovement of the crank- The device is of simple construction and compactform, and can be quicklyattached to out-board motors already in use, orremoved therefrom. All of the mechanical arts are enolosedso as to befullyprotected our the elements. 4-3- In the single figure of thedrawings the invention is shown in medial cross-section, as.

it appears when attached to an out-board motor, the older parts of themachine bein diagrammatically portrayed.

The motor organism is indicated at A, ineluding a. pair of oppositelydisposed cylinders B and C, upon which is mounted a cir cular casing 1,so arranged that it can be held in place by the usual spark'plug 0011-.59 nections, shown at D and E. Centrally oi the 1929. Serial No.344,049.

casing 1 is the'upper end of the crank-shaft 2 of the motor, upon whichshaft is supported a fiy-wheel 3.

In the upper part of the casing 1 is an opening in which is secured ahousing 4, projected upwardly from which is a smallercasing 5, in whichis rotatably mounted a short shaft 6. Fixed to said shaft near the lowerend thereof is a clutchinember 7, the teeth of which are engagable withoppositely disposed teeth on a'clutch member 8, which has a threadedconnection with the upper end of the crank-shaft 2,'the fiy-wheel 3being supported indirectly by said clutch-member 8. The lower end of theshaft 6 is slidable in a bore 9 in the member-8, the pivotal connectionthus formed insuring a steady operation oi the shaft, and preventing thesame "from getting out of al gnment when a lateral, stress isplacedthereon.

The upper. part of the clutch 7 is fitted with a. disk 11, to which isfixed the web of a'sheave 12, upon which is wound a cord 13, one end ofsaid cord being attached to the sheave and the other end passing out ofan opening in the housing 4, at 14. The end of the cord is also providedwith a knob 15', by means of which it can be drawn outwardly, givingrotation to the sheave 12 and, shaft 6. 30

Secured to the upper end of the shaft 6 is a hand thrust-plate 16,provided with a hub 17, vertically movable in a sleeve 18 on the casing5. Within said sleeve is a coiled spring 19, the force of which tends tohold the shaft 6 and parts supported thereby in an elevated position, asshown in the figure of the drawings. By placing one hand on the plate 16and forcing the same downwardly the operator can secure an engagementbetween the teeth of the clutches 7 and 8, and by accompanying suchmovement with the operation of the cord 13 with the other hand the shaft6 will be rotated, and the rotary movement thereof imparted to'the shaft2, for the purv pose of giving an initial operation to the motor, forsetting the'same in motion. With-- in the casing 5 is a clock-spring 21,the outer end of which is attached to the casing, asat a, and the. innerend connected with a sleeve we 22, loose on the shaft 6, and in which isfixed a pin 23, slidablein a channel 24 in the shaft 6. Upon the cord 13being drawn outwardly .nected with said pilot shaft for returningthesame to its initial position after an operation the spring 21 iswound up, the stored force thereof operating to reverse the movement ofthe sheave 12, and re wind the cord 13 thereon, upon such cord beingpermitted a little slack. In the return movement the pressure on thehand-plate 16 is released sufliciently to permit a dis-engagement of theclutches 7 and 8, such pressure being renewed when the cord is to bedrawn outwardly again. By this means a number of movements can be givento the crank-shaft in quick succession, the intervalsbetween saidmovements being very brief, and resulting in a quick response of theignition devices and starting of the motor. The fiy-Wheel 3 assists inmaking the movement continuous. The hand-plate 16 is preferablyconnected with the shaft 6 so as to be rotatable independently thereof.

The parts of the device can be quickly assembled by attaching the clutch7 and sheave 12 to the shaft 6 and passing said shaft upwardly throughthe casing 5 and sleeve 18, after which the spring 19 is put in placeand the hand-plate 16 secured to the shaft. The parts can be as readilydetached from each other. In inserting the shaft 6 or removing the samethe pin 23 slides in the channel 24.

It will be noted that the. operative. parts are all fully enclosed andprotected within the casing 1, housing'e, and easing 5, and thehand-plate 16 forms a shield for the upper end of the sleeve 18. a

What I claim, and desire ters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a motor and crank-shaft thereof, of a pilotshaft adapted to secure by Letfor detachable connection with saidcrankshaft, a hand-pressure head on the end of said pilot shaft, meansfor holding said pilot shaft normally out of engagement with saidcrankshaft, a rotor on said pilot shaft, a flexible element wound onsaid rotor, for giving ro- I tation thereto, and stored power devicesconthereof.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a housing, attachable to-a motor frame, a pilot shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, adaptedfor engagementwith the crank-shaft of a motor, and provided without thehousing with a hand-pressure device, means for holding said pilot shaftnormally out of engagement, a rotor fixed to fly-wheel thereon, ahousing on said casing,

a relatively small casing on said housing, a

pilot shaft rotatably mounted in said lastnamed casing, provided withoutthe casing with a hand-pressure device, and adapted for en agement withsaid crank-shaft, means for ho ding said pilot shaft yieldably out ofengagement therewith, a sheave'in said houslng fixed to said pilotshaft, a cord fixed to said sheave and wound thereon, and having one endprojecting through an opening-in said housing, and a spring mechanismcontained in said small casing, operatively connected with said pilotshaft, and capable of having power stored therein to automaticallyreverse the movement of said sheave followin a rotation thereof to startthe motor.

11 testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

' J. SQOTT BE SON.

said pilot shaft, means for imparting rotary- I impulses thereto, andstored power devices connected with said pilot shaft, and capable ofreturning the same to an initial position after havin been actuated,

3. A device of the class described, comprising a casing attachable totheframe of an out-board motor so as to enclose the upper

